Latching mechanism for cabinet drawers and the like



Jan. 27, 1942. E. R. HOUSTON arm. 2,271,431

LATCHING MECHANISM FOR CABINET DRAWERSXAND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 9, 1939 Patented Jan. 27, 1 942 STATE PATENT OFFICE 7 Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,606

13 Claims. (01. 45-94) The present invention relatesto filing devices, and more in particular to novel latch mechanism for drawers thereof.

Among the objects of the present invention is to providea novel latch mechanism for holding a file" support of a filing device in closed position.

. At the present time drawers of filing devices of thetype hereincontemplatedlhave been latched in closed position in said device by way of. a singlelatchdisposedadjacentthe top of the front thereof and operatedior engagement with the said filing device. However, this form of latch fectively latch the said drawer and to prevent play both vertically and laterally.

More particularly, the present invention includes novel mechanism comprising duplicate latching elements both operatedby a common means to unlatched positionybut independently associated with one another whereby each is operated. to latched position independent of the other :andin'aecordance with the requirements for its particular latching means associated with the filing'device or cabinet."

The invention in one of its embodiments involves the use of an operating head which, through suitable means, transfers its operating movements to independent latch levers movably mounted with respect to' said head, said transfor of operating movements being for the unlatching of the individual latch levers with respect to their latchingmeans.

Other objects, featurescapabilities and advantages' are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawingi Figure 1 is a fragmentary view-in elevation of a filing device, the same havingiparts cut away in the plane represented by line 2-2 of Figure 1 of the drawing; I

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in section taken in the plane represented by line 3-3 of Figure l of the drawing; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentaryview in section taken in the plane represented by line 4-4 of Figure 3 of the drawing. V

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, latch mechanism madein accordance with the present invention and generally referred to as 2' is disclosed in operative position within the front panel 3 of a drawer 5 operatively mounted within the cabinet 6 provided with side walls sand 10. I

. The front panel 4 in the embodiment disclosed is of :metal construction and comprises an inner face plate I2 and an outer face plate l4 suitably secured together and between which is disposed the latch mechanism 2 for holding 'the drawer in closed position. This latch mechanism comprises an operating head I6 substantially centrally disposed in respect to the longitudinal axis of the drawer and to which is secured an operating arm l8 slidably mounted in associationwith face plate l2 by means of a bracket 20; Pivotally secured to the operating head It as at 22 and 24 are two latch levers 26 and 28 extending laterally from the cross head l6 and in opposed relation to one another, the said levers terminating respectively adjacent apertures 30 and 32 formed in the face plate l2 adjacent the side marginal edges thereof. Adjacent the outer ends of levers 26 and 28 are to disclose novel-mechanism in accordance with the present invention embodied therein;

Figure 21s a fragmentary'sectional view taken brackets 34 and3ii provided with slots, such as 38, which serve as guide means for the outer ends of the said levers.

The cross head l6, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the dratving, is provided with the inner rolled marginal edge 40 which provides abutment means engageable with the said levers 26 and 28 in spaced relation to their pivot points 22 and 24 whereby movement of the said levers is effected by downward movement of the cross head IS. The levers 26 and 28 are adapted to engage latch elements 42 and 44, respectivel which are secured tothe side walls 8. and l0 and have a part, such as 45, adapted to project forwardly and through apertures 30 and 32 when the front panel is in its closed position for engagement with the said levers whereby the .draw- I er. is held in its closed position. The latch levers 26' and 28 are normally urged into latching position with respect to latch elements '42 and 44 by means of springs Hand 50 connected at their ends to levers 26 and 28 and to the brackets 34 and 36, the movement of said levers under the influence of coil springs 48 and 50 being limited by way of brackets 52 and 54 connected to the face plate l2 and having legs projecting into the path of movement of said levers.

From the above disclosure, it will be readily apparent that the latch levers 26 and 28 are simultaneously moved through cross head l6 for unlatching the same from their engagement with latch elements 42 and 44 of the filing device. The independent pivotal connection of the levers 26 and 28 permits independent movement of each of the latch levers to accommodate variations in the positioning of latch elements 42 and 44, thereby at all times efiectively providing latching engagement between the levers and their respective latch elements.

The operating bar I8 extends downwardly through an opening 56 in a channel 58 and is provided with the laterally disposed end part 60 underlying the leg 62 of said channel. The member I8 is operated through the button release 64 comprising an angle member mounted through means of opposed slots 66 and 68 in leg 62 adjacent its marginal edge. The button release member 64 comprises leg 18 disposed between the end 68 of member [8 and leg 62 of channel 58 and a leg 72 normally disposed adjacent the face plate l4 which is provided with a push button 14 protruding through an opening 16 in said face plate M. The end 68 of member I8 is normally urged into its engaging relation with leg by way of a spring is engaging the said end 68 and being connected to the lower leg 80 of channel member 58, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. As Will be clearly appreciated from the dis closure, movement of push button 14 and release member 64 to dotted line position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing causes end 60 to move downwardly, thereby moving member I8 downwardly with respect to its bracket 20. This in turn moves the cross head I 6 downwardly which, through shoulder or abutment 48, engages levers 26 and 28 to overcome the tension of springs 48 and 58 to u'nlatch the outer end of said levers with respect to their respective latch elements 42 and 48.

In order to facilitate the unlatching of levers 26 and 28 simultaneously with an outward movement of the drawer, handle 82 is provided adjacent push button 14 and is connected as at 84 and 86 to the front panel 4.

While we have herein described and upon the drawing shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangem ts of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch means, a file support operably mounted in said device between said sides and having a front, latch means mounted on said front releasably engageable with the latch means of said side walls, said last-named latch means comprising an operating head, latch levers pivotally connected to said head and being engageable with the said latch means of said side walls, said latch levers having abutting relation with said head in spaced relation to said pivotal connections whereby operative movements of said head are transferred thereto, means for releasably holding said latch levers in abutting relation with said head, and operating means for said head.

2. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch means, a file support operably mounted in said device between said sides and having a front, latch means mounted on said front comprising an operating head movably mounted with respect to said front, laterally extending latch levers independently pivoted to said head and being engageable with the said latch means of said side walls, abutment means on said head for transferring operating movements from said head to said levers, means for normally maintaining said levers in operative engagement with said abutment means, and means for operating said head.

3. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch means, a file support operably mounted in said device between said sides and having a front, latch means for said support comprising an operating head, oppositely disposed latch levers pivoted to said head and independently of one another movable into latching engagement with the latch means of said side walls, said operating head and latch levers having cooperative abutting relation for transferring operating movements from said head to said levers, means for releasably holding said latch levers in abutting relation with said head, and means for operating said operating head.

4. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch means, a file support operably mounted in said device between said sides and having a front, latch means for said support comprising an operating head, oppositely extending latch levers pivoted to said head and being movable independently of one another into locking engagement with the latch means of said side walls, said operating head and latch levers having operative abutting relation for transferring operating movements from said head to said levers, means for positioning said latch levers with respect to said latch means, means for limiting the pivotal movement of said levers with respect to said operating head, and means for operating said operating head.

5. In a file support, the combination of a front panel, said panel having spaced apertures disposed adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof,

'latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising an operating head, oppositely disposed latch levers pivotally mounted on said head and extending laterally to adjacent said apertures, abutment means on said head for transferring operating movements to said levers, means for holding said levers in operative association with said abutment means, and means for operating said head.

6. In a file support, the combination of afront panel, said panel having spaced apertures disposed adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof, latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising an operating head, oppositely disposed latch levers pivotally mounted on said head and extending laterally to adjacent said apertures, abutment means on said head for transferring operating movements to said levers, re-

silient means for holding said levers in operative association with said abutment means, and means for operating said head.

7. In a file support, the combination of a front panel, said panel having spaced apertures disposed adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof, latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising an operating head, oppositely dismarginal edges of said panel, abutment means on said head for transferring operating movements to said levers, means for holding said levers in operative association with said abutment means, and means operable exteriorly of said panel for operating said head.

9. In a file support, the combination of a front panel latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising an operating head, oppositely disposed latch levers pivotally mounted on said head and extending laterally to adjacent the marginal edges of said panel, abutment means on said head for transferring operating movements to said levers, resilient means for holding said levers in operative associationwith said abutment means, and means operable exteriorly of said panel for operating said head.

10. In a file support, the combination of a front panel latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising an operating head, op-

positely disposed latch levers pivotally mounted on said head and extending laterally to adjacent the marginal edges of said panel, abutment means on said head for transferring operating movements to said levers, resilient means adjacent the ends of said levers for urging the same into operative association with said abutment means, and means operabl exteriorly of said panel for operating said head.

11. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch elements, a file support operably mounted in said device between said side walls, said file support having a front panel, said front panel having spaced apertures disposed adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof and adapted when said support is in its closed position to receive said latch elements, latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising a transversely disposed'latch bar having its ends disposed adjacent said apertures, means yieldably holding said bar in latching position with respect to said latch elements, and means operable exteriorly of said panel for operating said bar as a unit and in opposed relation to said yieldable means for releasing the same from engagement with said latch elements.

12. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch elements, a file support operably mounted in said device between said side walls, said file support having a front panel, said panel having spaced apertures disposed adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof and.

adapted when said support is in its closed position to receive said latch elements, latch mechanism mounted on said panel and comprising a' linearly movable operating head, oppositely disposed latch levers pivotallyconnected to said head and extending laterally thereof, said latch mechanism being slidably operable substantially parallel to the plane of said panel, said levers having their ends disposed adjacent said apertures, means on said head having cooperative relation with said levers for transferring operative movements of, said head to said levers, means for yieldably holding said levers in latching position with respect to said latch elements, and means operable exteriorly of said panel for operating said head.

13. In a filing device, the combination of side walls provided with latch elements, a file support operably mounted in said device between said side walls, said file support having a front panel comprising spaced face plates, one of said plates having spaced apertures disposed adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof and adapted when said support is in its closed position to receive said latch elements, latch mechanism disposed between said plates and comprising an operating head, oppositely disposed latch levers pivotally connected to said head and extending laterallythereof, said levers having their ends disposed adjacent said apertures, abutment means engageable with said levers whereby operative movements of said head are transferred to said levers, means for yieldably holding said levers in engagement with said abutment means whereby the ends thereof are inlatching position with respect to said latch elements, and means operable exteriorly of saidpanel for operating said head.

ELMER R. HOUSTON.

JOSEPH F. DACHLET.

JOSEPH LEO HAUSER. 

